"We have not an high priest which cannot but one who was in all points tempted like be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; as we are, yet without sin."-HEBREWS iv. 15.

Amoy, Feb. 25th, 1861.

MY DEAR MR. MATHESON,-As the mail is just about to start, I have only time to write you a very few lines; but, thanks be to God, these will contain some good news for those who are continuing to pray

for us.

The week before last, Mr. Douglas and I started on Tuesday morning for Anhai, and got there safely and well. On the way up, on account of a contrary wind we had a good deal of detention, but this served to give the opportunity of preaching in some towns and villages on the way. I was very much struck with the vastness of the field that here surrounds us on every side. To me (as this was my first visit in this quarter) the sight of such a field, almost yet untouched, was calculated to impress me more than ever with the need of earnestness and zeal in this work. On arriving at Anhai I was cordially welcomed by all the brethren and sisters there. With Song and Lat I was particularly struck, and indeed with all who have as yet joined this little church. I would like much to tell you how much love they all displayed, if I had time, but now I cannot.

We baptized two converts on Sabbath. Mr. Douglas baptized the one and I the other. It was a solemn scene for me-the first I had baptized in China. His name I will not soon forget. He is called Toàn. Besides these, 23 inquirers were examined, 17 men and six women. Of these, we hope soon to be able to receive a considerable number. The Lord is thus, you see, not denying us His grace. I hope that many of you are praying specially for Anhai; do ask that, if it be the Lord's will, this Church may get rest from persecution. We re

turned on Monday afternoon, having thus been nearly a week on this journey.

Kang is still open, and we hope we will soon The small chapel we have opened in E-ninghave to record some fruit from the effort in this direction.

On Saturday I went to Peh-chiu-a, staid there over Sabbath, and returned this morning. little now, and although I can do very little My tongue is beginning to loose a as yet, I hope, from that little, soon to be able to do more.

Mrs. Swanson has never had better health

than since she came to Amoy. She is longing much to be able to speak Chinese, and to do something for Christ. She is able already to say a little.

You may easily conceive how much we feel the want of dear Mackenzie here: he has nobly taken what seemed to him the path of duty; and I believe the Lord will continue to bless him. I hope the Committee may be led to a like view with him.

Be so kind as show this letter to the editor of the "Children's Messenger." I intended to have written him this mail, were it not that the steamer is just about starting.

With kindest love to you and yours,
I am, yours ever,
W. S. SWANSON.

The following deeply interesting letter from the Rev. W. C. Burns, was lately received by a private friend.

Yam-Chow, Feb. 23rd, 1861.

THE place where I now am is a village fully twenty miles to the N. E. of Swatow, and lying on the sea-shore opposite to the

Island of Namoa. Ten years ago, Mr. Lechler, a German missionary, was located here, but he met with so many hindrances in his position and work, that after some years he removed to another field in the neighbourhood of Hong Kong. In 1856, I spent ten days at Tang-Lang, a town within five miles distance of this place, but not hearing of any here who continued interested in the Gospel, I did not at that time visit it. It appears, however, that there was at least one man in whose heart the truth had taken root, and who, amid many trials continued to cleave to the Saviour. For some time past, this man, A-Kee, has occasionally visited Mr. Smith, and has appeared to grow in Christian zeal and devotedness. He came out to Swatow several times to invite me to visit his village, and at last, on the 5th of this month, I saw my way to come with him here. We got on without any serious hindrance a great part of the way, but when passing through Ching-Linn, a wealthy place of trade close to Tang-Lang, and three or four miles from this place, the people, but few of whom knew me, got excited by the cry that a foreigner had come, and we were soon surrounded by a mass of people who were disposed to treat me rudely, and insisted that I should go back with them and see their head man. I did not go without fears that I might be detained. However, to our glad surprise, when the head man saw our party he waved with the hand to allow us to go on our way; and at once the more fiery spirits shrunk back, and we proceeded to our destination with no inconvenience but a crowd of boys, who followed us for a mile or two clamorous for books. On this occasion I said that we meant to come again soon, to preach and distribute books, and that then they would all more fully know who we were, and what object we had in coming. And so, on Wednesday last (20th), I went to Ching-Linn, again accompanied by AKee, and Philhea, a native of this region connected with the American Baptist Mission. On this occasion, we were kindly received by some, but when we began to speak in the open air, a word or two of an inflammatory kind uttered by one man excited the latent feeling of hostility at once to foreigners, and to the Gospel, and we saw at once that we had better retire. A finely-dressed young man came up to me and angrily demanded what books these were I had in my hand, and when in one of them he saw the Saviour's name, he said, "And so you're teaching the people to believe in Jesus." I said "Yes," and on this, with angry threats he ordered us to be gone, and pursued us to the gate of the village. Encouraged no doubt by this, one of the fiery youths of the place collected a

few of his companions, and overtook us at the side of a pond, into which they seriously threatened to push us. However, in this they stopped short, and contented themselves with pushing us about, and taking away some part of our dress. As we slowly moved on, one man struck A-Kee rather heavily on the back of the head with a carrying pole, so as to cause bleeding; his cap had been previously taken away. And when again we got to a distance of a few hundred yards, we were overtaken by a party who rifled our pockets of what pleased them. After this we returned home, thankful that in their blind rage they had not been allowed to harm us in any serious way, and rejoicing that we had been counted worthy to suffer even the least indignity for the name of Jesus.

But what you will think the most wonderful part of the whole remains to be told. We had been at home little more than an hour, when a message was brought from one of the merchant Hongs, at Ching-Linn, to say that the principal things (as they thought the whole,) that had been taken from us were in their hands, and would be returned to any one we should send for them. Accordingly on Thursday, our landlord here kindly went with a list of all that we had lost, and with very trifling exception all the things were found and restored to us. In my own case I had nothing lost and nothing injured; and we hear that the showily dressed young man, who was the chief instigator of the attack, was the person called on to go round and find out the missing things. Among the things taken and again restored, is the knife which my dear mother sent to me in lieu of one which I lost by robbery in 1856, at NanYong, seven miles from Ching-Linn, on the way to Swatow.

The people of this place (Yam-Chow,) have received us very kindly, and from more than one place in the surrounding country, we have invitations to go and let them hear our message. The first Sabbath after our coming here was the Chinese New-year's day, and we had many about us who heard more or less of the truth, and exceeding all in interest were a large number of children, who were taken with the new colloquial hymns, and continued during the first few days of their year to recite and sing them with great zeal. A number of these dear children still continue to come in the evening when they are at leisure, and join quietly in our worship. The "Happy Land," both hymn and tune, is the great favourite here, as at Foo-Chow. There are also several women who have been devoted Buddhists, who are interested more or less in the Gospel, and one man who has excited our hopes, although for the last two days he

is a mistake. The largest part of their funds do not go to the rural districts. If we look into the accounts, we find that the Presbytery most dependent for supplement in the Home Mission is none other than the Presbytery of Lancashire. There are only two Presbyteries in the Church which have a preponderance of rural charges; yet these two, taken together, do not receive half of what is expended in this way. We must conclude, therefore, that this part of their labours is chiefly confined to poor congregations in towns. 2. The impression which is often conveyed is that these charges are heavy burdens; are taxes upon larger congregations, of which they have a right to complain; and often is the assurance reiterated that the present 66 powers will be wiser than the past, and take good care to plant charges only where they will pay. Now, if the older Committees planted charges in unfortunate localities, they at least saved themselves from the charge which, as has been shown, may with justice be brought against our wiser Committee of doing nothing at all in the way of Church extension. But we would like to know if it be the principle of Christ's kingdom to preach the Gospel only where it will pay? We can find nothing of such a law in the Scripture at least. Would, again, our wealthier congregations prefer it, look upon it as the very beau ideal of a Church, were there no poor congregations to help? Then we can only say there is a wide gulf between Christ's will and theirs. It is an arrangement of Divine Providence : The poor ye have with you always." And if we are to carry out the unholy principle in opposition to this, let us begin by casting out of our churches all the members, however pious and useful, who are not able to pay; and then, to be consistent, the poor congregations will get the cold shoulder next.

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3. Are the poorer congregations only burdens on the Church? We speak not, as we fear it would be vain to the class we are reasoning with, of the spiritual blessings they are able to send back to those who assist them. But even in directions which will be better understood, it would be easy to prove their value. They send, for instance, into large towns the very best members which these congregations pos

sess. The minister of the large congregation is inclined to boast of his success, but the fact is, most of his success is directly traceable to the labours of the poor country minister. He is more of a pastor than the town minister. He has carefully trained up those noble youths who make themselves useful in large congregations. He has imparted to them their attachment to the Church. And thus the town minister is really a debtor to the country minister. Again, the best town ministers have obtained their capacity for usefulness in these smaller charges. Some of the ministers in the Church who have at this day the largest salaries once could be satisfied with their congregations contributing £50 a year to the Sustentation Fund.

4. But we have too many small charges? Not so. Our proportion is smaller than that of any other Church in the British Isles. We say this advisedly. Try the Free Church of Scotland. There are in that Church 788 charges. Of these, 466 contribute to the Sustentation Fund less than £100. The average cost of each of these congregations to the Church is £75 per annum. Where is the solitary congregation among us which is supplemented to this extent? Again, of the aid-receiving congrega. tions, 110 average, as contributions to the Sustentation Fund, £35. Among us there is at most only one congregation which could have been numbered among this class. Then what would some of our friends think of £103 being given by way of supplement to these 110 congregations? Let any one compare these figures with ours, and then say whether our proportion of small congregations is anything like so great as that of our neighbours.

As I cannot venture to trespass farther upon your space, I beg to conclude, Yours, &c.,

LOTTERIES.

To the Editor of the English Presbyterian Messenger.

SIR, AS lotteries are so common at bazaars in connection with the Church, and seeing the great evils which result therefrom to the Church and the world, I crave a space in your "Messenger' for the insertion of the following remarks:—